Journal Article

The Role of Probiotics, Prebiotics and Synbiotics in Combating Multidrug-Resistant Organisms

Arshad, Mehreen, Newman, Alexander M.

2020

Overview

The prevalence of multidrug-resistant organisms is increasing worldwide, posing a unique challenge to global health care systems. Novel approaches are needed to combat the spread of infection with these organisms. The enteric microbiome, and in particular the resistome, offers a unique target in both the prevention of infection with these organisms and the acquisition and spread within the community. We highlight a novel approach to combat multidrug-resistant organisms: the use of prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics to manipulate the microbiome and resistome. This review summarizes the published literature and clinical trials related to these products to date, with a focus on efficacious trials. It highlights the probable mechanism of action for each product, as well as its safety profile in selective populations. Ultimately, although further research is needed before a definitive statement can be made on the efficacy of any of these 3 interventions, the literature to date offers new hope and a new tool in the arsenal in the fight against bacterial drug resistance.

• Publisher: Elsevier Inc,Elsevier Limited
• Subject: Antibiotics / Antimicrobial agents / Bacteria / By products / Clinical trials / Drug dosages / Drug resistance / Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / Health care / Humans / Infections / Influence / Internal Medicine / Medical Education / Metabolism / microbiome / Microbiomes / Multidrug resistance / Multidrug resistant organisms / Pathogens / prebiotic / Prebiotics / Prebiotics - administration & dosage / probiotic / Probiotics / Probiotics - administration & dosage / Probiotics - therapeutic use / Public health / resistome / Stem cells / synbiotic / Synbiotics - administration & dosage